Shepherd Neame Christmas Ale (2002 - 2005)

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

2006 5,5%vol. Nice cinnamon aroma, not much foam. Reddish, brownish color. Quite good taste with some hint of fruits and raisins. Everything is nice, if only the cost of this beer would be normal too ;( Half litre bottle costs 5$...

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 6

Bottled (2004). Copper coloured, white small head. Tropical fruit (mango etc) in aroma. Sweet fruitish flavour with a bit bitter finish. A bit like sweetened Spitfire with some fruits added. 7588 7

Re-rated December 3rd, 2005:
Bottled. Red copperish colour, foamy small white head. Caramel, malts and hops in aroma including some tropical fruits. Sweet hoppy fruity flavour with some caramellish malty hints. Finish is bitterish fruity. 5577 6

2006 vintage. Bottled. Copper coloured, mediumsized "naturewhite", foamy head. Aroma is hops, grass and some malt with some metallic hints. Also some slight fruits. Flavour is flowery hops, slight caramel malts and also a bit metallic in the flavour. Weak orangejelly in finish along with the grassy hops. Not really any aftertaste. 6 6 6 6 6

2007 vintage bottled 7%. Amber colourm, mediumsized white head. Aroma is quite typical Shepherd Nameish, yeasty and hoppy. Flavour is dry hoppy along with some grassyness. A bit soapish notes too. Quite oily palate. 7 6 6 6 6

Bottled (2008 vintage, 7%). Reddish amber colour with mediumsized creamy white head. Also quite lasting, giving some lace. Aroma is fruity, hoppy with some slight caramelly hints. Flavour is much the same, in a rather nice balance. As it got warmer it got some slight rouches of alcohol. 7 8 7 8 7

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 7

the 2005 was my first taste and I really like it - the color is medium deep amber, almost red-ish and the aroma holds a lot of fruit along with the sweetness of the malt, which is typically chrismas-sy - the head is rather thick, and doesn't fade right away - the taste is sweet/malty again with some fruit notes and a nice soft finish

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 6

I sampled the "2003 vintage" version. Nose: not overwhelming; christmas-like (cinnamon, roasted almonds, cloves) Structure/taste: a little "thin" (like a standard pilsner) but with a little less CO2 Aftertaste: fair but not that good; I certainly prefer stronger brews.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 7

2004 vintage, 6% - clear red-amber colour, little foam, moderate hoppiness with notes of red fruits (mango ?), medium-bodied, decent bitterness with a floral hoppy finish
(8/4/7/4/15) - red-amber colour, almost no foam, nutty, cherry and some licorice in the nose, sweet and oily with a very long, dry, bitter and fruity finish - complex, subtle and very pleasant